Lien Chan wants to get a new `kun' if blues are victorious

By Caroline Hong / STAFF REPORTER , IN TAINAN

Coming on the heels of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Lien Chan's (連戰) call last week for a new Cabinet, Lien yesterday announced that should the pan-blue camp win a majority of seats in Saturday's legislative elections, it will recommend that KMT deputy Legislative Speaker Chiang Pin-kun (江丙坤) be made the next premier.

Speaking to reporters in Tainan yesterday, Lien said that in the interest of stabilizing the nation's economy and improving people's lives, he was representing the pan-blue camp by recommending Chiang.

Chiang, who also doubles as KMT vice chairman, is a senior KMT member with extensive experience, previously serving as minister of economic affairs and the chairman of the Council for Economic Planning and Development.

"We need someone with experience with the economy to help Taiwan discover its future direction," Lien said yesterday, adding that he believes their "kun" is 100 times better than the current "kun," Premier Yu Shyi-kun.

The announcement came as a concrete move by the pan-blue camp to promote Lien's suggestion Sunday that, should the pan-blue camp garner a majority of seats in tomorrow's legislative elections, a new Cabinet should be formed to reflect the change of the people's will.

"According to the spirit of the Constitution, if Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) does not nominate a new Cabinet, then he is ignoring [what is needed] for the country's future. He is using the minority [party] to rape the majority. It will mean, no question, that Chen is the source of the nation's chaos, and he will need to face the consequences," Lien said yesterday.

Lien has said repeatedly this election cycle that the current government is a minority government, despite the slim majority by which Chen won the presidential election.

President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), in response to Lien's proposal, said that Chiang would have to wait in line for a long time because "the DPP has tons of qualified talent [for the position of premier.]"

Chen made the remarks while campaigning for DPP legislative candidates in Pingtong County last night.

"Didn't Lien say that Chen Shui-bian is a fake president? In that case, wouldn't Chiang, recommended by Lien, become a fake premier?" Chen said.

According to constitutional law, Cabinet members are nominated by the president. The pan-blue camp has said previously that according to the spirit of the Constitution, the Cabinet, as a body that is supervised by the legislature, should reflect the people's will as manifested through legislative changes.

While in Tainan, Lien also took the opportunity to criticize Chen for using government resources and power to help the DPP gain the upper hand in tomorrow's legislative elections.

While campaigning in Tainan and Kaohsiung yesterday and also on Wednesday night, Lien criticized Chen for using promises of government titles and support to further personal and party interests.

Chen told supporters in Chang-hua on Wednesday night that he would nominate two experienced KMT party members from Chang-hua should the pan-green camp gain a majority of seats in the legislative elections.

While campaigning in Taichung yesterday, Chen also made an appeal to KMT heavyweight Tai-chung Mayor Jason Hu (胡志強). If Hu supported the pan-greens in the legislative elections, Chen said, he would meet with Hu next week to negotiate the establishment of a branch of the Guggenheim Museum.